Laundry machine



Dec. 2, 1930. G. w. DUNHAM 1,783,186

' LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1927 S vwamtoz GEORGE W. DUNHAM Patented Dec. 2, 1 930 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE-I,

GEORGE W. DUNHAM, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WHIRLDRY COR- PORATION, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LAUNDRY MACHINE Application filed January 8, 1927. Serial No. 159,783.

The invention relates, in general, to laundry machines, and more particularly, to a novel form of strainer construction for a laundry machine of the type in which the laundry liquid may be circulated from one part ofthe machine to the other.

According to the inventiona laundry machine'may comprise aconventional form of tank having a laundry receptacle therein which may be of the imperfora-te type for holding the laundry liquid in addition to laundry. Suitable agitating. devices may be provided and also a circulatory system forcontinuously circulating laundry liquid from the bottom of the tank into the receptacle. For drying, the receptacle may be rotated to extract the liquid from the laundry by cen trifugal extraction.

In machines of this kind it is desirable to provide a strainer over the inlet to the circulating pump to prevent the lint and other impurities from getting into the pump and impairing its operation. During the washing period when the laundry liquid may be circulating, the level of the laundry liquid in the bottom of the tank may be quite low. According to the invention a novel form of a strainer is provided which is so shaped that its entire area is utilized even though the liquid in the tank bottom may be of small depth.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and coniibinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be rharavtcristics of this invention will be pointed out with 'iarticularity in the claim appended hereto. the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the followins; description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof. in which Fig. i is elevation of a laundry machine according to the invention, parts being broken away to show the structure;

Fig.2 is a section. on the line 22 of F ig. 1 and 1 Fig. 3 is a detail showing a modified form of tank having a seat for the strainer.

In the following description and in the claim parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar arts as the art will permit.

Li e reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawing,the laundry machine may .comprise a tank 1 suit-ably supported by legs 2 and having a suitable o 3. The tank may have a generally cylino cal side wall 4 and a bottom 5 sloping glowzz=- wardly to a center opening 6. Secured to the bottom of the tank at the center opening is a horizontally disposed centrifugal type pump 7 which in turn has suspended'therefrom agear box 8 having suitable gearing therein for performing the several laundry operations. Depending from the tank bottom 5 is also an electric motor 9 having suitable drive connection with the gearing in the gear box. The upper wall of the pump casing 10 may have a tubular hub 13 extending upwardly into the tank and annularly spaced strengthening webs 14 connecting the hub with the casing wall. The inlet openings 15 to the pump may be annularly disposed between.

the webs. The pump may be of any conventional'type rotary pump and has an impeller 16 suitablyconnected to drive shaft ing 17.

Disposed within the hub 13 and seated therein is a hollow pedestal 18 on which is rotatably mounted the clothes receptacle 19. The clothes receptacle may be of the Em perforate type having; an impertorate body portion 20 and an upper guard ring 21 with discharge openings at the juncture of the guard ring and body. The receptacle may be provided with an upstanding hub "r ing bearings for journaling the receptare on. the top of the pedestal.

A suitable agitator 26 may be provided positioned within the receptacle .19 and hav has imparted thereto a rotary,

ing operative connection with the drive shafting extending up through the hollow pedestal 18.

Disposed at the side of the tank 1 may be a standpipe 27 comprising a lower riser tube 28 in which is telescopically mounted a flow pipe 29 having a return bent discharge nozzle 30 and which may be telescoped and swung to discharge liquid optionally into the receptacle 19, into the tank 1, or clear of the machine. The standpipe 27 is connected by means of a flexible conduit 31 with a discharge side of the pump 7.

For washing the laundry is placed within the receptacle 19 and sufiicient laundry liquid is also placed within the receptacle to cause it to overflow, the surplus overflowing into the bottom of the tank. Enough surplus must be provided to provide sufficient liquid for the pump to act on so that liquid may be pumped continuously, during washing, from the bottom of the tank into the top of the receptacle 19 through the standpipe 27. During washing the clothes will be agitatedby means of the agitator 26 which oscillatory motion simultaneously with the circulation of laundry liquid above described.

It is desirable that the level of laundry liquid in the bottom of the tank during washing be kept low for two reasons z-first, to conserve laundry liquid and second, to allow sufficient space in the bottom of the tank to catch and hold the liquid ejected from the rotating receptacle during contrifugal extraction to save it for the next batch of laundry, if desired. It will be understood that during centrifugal extraction the liquid flow through the standpipe 27 is stopped and the agitator 26 is rempved.

All laundry machines cause a certain amount of lint to be loosened from the clothes. During the operation of the machine this lint and the scum and other impurities given off by the clothes form solid matter which may seriously impair the operation of the pump if suitable provision is not made for preventing it. On account of thegreat volume of liquid circulation during washing it will be understood that, unless a screen of comparatively large area is provided, the screen will be easily clogged and stopped up. In addition to a large physical area the screen must also have a large effective area. with the low liquid level in the tank bottom. Furthermore, the screen must be out of the way and not interfere with the use of the machine and must be easily removable for cleaning purposes.

The combined tank and screen construction according to the invention fulfills the above requirements. The screen 33 may comprise an inexpensive sheet metal structure having a comparatively large, fiat ring por tion 34 with its edge formed into a bead 35 and a comparatively small inner conical portion 36 having an upper inturned flange titting closely around the pedestal 18, the screen being disposed over the pump inlets 15. The flat portion 34 of the screen may be made foraminous alone, or, if desired, the entire screen may be made foraminous, as illustrated.

In Fig. 1 the screen is shown seated directly against the conical bottom 5. In Fig. 3 the bottom 5 is depressed to form a seat 37 in which the screen 33 may fit to make a substantially flush joint with the tank bottom 5 extending outwardly therefrom.

Thus it will be seen that a strainer is provided which will be efiicient, notonly when the depth of the liquid in the tank is great, but also when it is small. If the depth of the liquid is small, the efficiency of the screen is in no way impaired. The screen is of large area and the adjoining parts of the tank cooperate with the screen in such a way that the position of the screen is most advantageous for the duty it must perform. The screen and adjoining tank parts are so arranged that the screening or filtering action is efi'icient at all times and theI screen of large area will not clog up easily. At the same time the screen is out of the way and does not interfere with the operation or use of the machine. The screen 33 is easily removable for cleaning, the

receptacle 19 being adapted to be lifted bodily oft the pedestal 18 to allow removal of the screen.

\Vhile certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed outin the'annexed claim, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claim.

What is claimed is:

In a clothes washing machine, a tank hav ing a conical bottom slopin to an opening in said bottom, a post rising f i'om said bottom at said opening, a receptacle mounted in said tank on said post, means for continuously circulating washing liquid from said opening back through said receptacle back to the opening, and a large fiat strainer having a large effective area during low water in said tank disposed over said opening and around said post.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE W. DUNHAM. 

